Japan Times, May 20, 2005
Russia will prioritize China over Japan as the recipient of oil supplies from an oil pipeline project linking eastern Siberia with the Russian Far East, departing Russian Ambassador to China Igor Rogachev said Thursday.
"I think that . . . first of all, oil will go to China," Rogachev told reporters. "And then, maybe (on the) second round, it will go east" to other countries, including Japan, he said.
[...]
Japan has told Russia it may not offer financing for the pipeline project, expected to cost $12 billion, if the prospect of Russian oil reaching the Sea of Japan coast diminishes.
(Full Story)
Maybe Russia is planning to use this as a carrot with regards to the island dispute...?